some soap fun



I bet a lot of you are have been following Sew Mama Sew Handmade Holidays.  Well I am too.  One of the many great tutorials that caught my interest was this one.  Which lead to K-Bug and I doing this.



Soap in progress



My favorites

Some seasonal soaps

Our take on the tutorial

K-Bug's soap

I found most of the supplies at a local craft store.  I was surprised to discovered that they weren't very expensive.  For the color I purchased the primary color pack and we mixed them to make different colors.  This was a great teaching craft. We also add some scented oil and soap glitter. 

We had a great time doing this together.  I must say that the first time I did it on my own.  I was unsure how safe it was for a 4 year old.  I discovered that other than cutting the cubes and using the microwave, K-Bug could really do it all.  Which I must say made her really happy!!

I wonder which tutorials have you found to be really kid friendly?

Trisha

a little sister time...

The other night Sheri and I attended a class together. 

Believe it or not this was the first time that we have sewn together.

We had fun!

We have always wanted to learn how to make

felted wool sweater mittens.

Now we CAN!!

My mittens

The best part about the class was 

we finished our project in one night!

Less than 3 hours to be exact!

Now this is my kind of project!

Not only did the class include an adult size pattern

but the pattern for little ones as well!

Which means soon the girls will be sporting some as well!

Trisha

Sew and Tell-My day with Liesl Gibson



K-Bug's Hopscotch Dress

 If you remember from this post  I was lucky to be able to attend a class last Saturday taught by Liesl Gibson of Oliver + S.  Let me just that was one of the best sewing days of my life! 

The class began at 10am.  I did not get home until 10:30 pm. I bet you are all wondering what we did for 12 hours.  Let me tell you.

The class started with an introduction from Liesl into the different types of knits.  Then she had us practice on sewing.  She gave us scraps from her new line City Weekend.  She was so great.  She went from student to student helping us to figure out which stitch to use for machine.  Yep, we used regular machines no sergers for us!

After practicing for a bit we moved on to the pattern of our choice.  I selected the Hopscotch dress.  Sadly, her line was not out when K-Bug and I picked out the material for the dress. I felt a little weird about attending Liesl's class using fabric from another line.  That was just silly because Liesl commented on how nice my fabric selection was.  I know how great is she!!

A close up of Liesl's suggestion

When it came time to work on the neck band.  Liesl suggested that I might want to use a accent fabric because the main fabric was a little busy.  I took her up on her suggestion and used the orange polka dots from her line.  I am so glad I listened to her.  I think the dress looks amazing with that little bit of color!

The day was not all sewing though.  Rhea from Alewives Fabric (where the class was held) opened her house to all of us for an amazing home cooked meal.  Her mom and business partner is one amazing cook!!!  After the classa few of us and Liesl all went to get a bite to eat.  We ate at this amazing little pub in Damariscotta called King Eider's Pub.  I have lived in Maine all my life and did not know this about this place.  All I can say is JT and I will be going back!  You might think spending time with a group of complete strangers would be a little awkward at times.  It wasn't at all!  Everyone was so friendly and the conversation was great.  We discussed jobs, family and of course sewing!

After dinner we went back to Alewives for a little Q & A session with Liesl that was open to the public.  This might of been my favorite part.  Liesl shared with us how she ended up in this industry and developing Oliver + S.  She showed us her new line Modern Workshop.  This line is absolutely Beautiful!  I can not wait to get some yardage!  We also discussed her first book little things to sew due out in March of 2011.  Liesl shared a few of the projects in the book.  I better be getting a late birthday present when it comes out. 

There wasn't just talking either.  Liesl came with goodies!  She gave away a couple of yards of knit from her current line and some cute little mini-charm packs (my term not the real name)  also from City Weekend only in cotton.  I didn't win the knit but I did win one of the minis.  Yippee!!!!  I have already decided that I am going to make a doll quilt for the girls with it. 

Liesl is an amazing person!  She was super friendly, completely down to earth.  While talking with her I felt like I was with an old friend.  I was really sad when the day came to an end.  Unfortunately, I forgot my camera so no pictures of the day.  Rhea however had hers and will be posting pictures of her blog. 

Sorry for the extra long post.  But I did have over 12 hours of stuff to tell you all about.

Hope your day is great!

Trisha

Tutorial-Photo Post Cards

My first niece went a way to college in the fall ( 4 hours away).  K-Bug was bothered by the fact that her cousin could no longer just stop by.  Although excited for school I think Munchkin was too.  To help ease the distant I decided to send her photo-post cards. 

This is a super easy project and only requires three supplies

1. 4x6 printed photo
2. 4x6 index card
3. glue stick

To make these take the index card and scribble the lined side of the index card with the glue stick. 

Next take the picture and place the blank side on to the glued side of the index card.  Don't forget to smooth out all the bubbles with your hand.

Once this is done you just flip the card over, address it, write your message ( in K-Bug's case draw a picture), add a stamp and drop it in the mail.  Because this is the standard post card size you only need a post card stamp. 

Munchkin loves getting these!!  She has them plastered on her dorm fridge.  We have sent many of these already.  Some of them have made their way during rain.  Munchkin has assured me that all have arrived in great condition. 

So go ahead and grab your supplies and start making some of your own!

Trisha

Super Excited

Today is a big day for us!

Sheri is at her first every craft fair

Lets wish her good luck!!!

And I am off to school!!!

School with Liesl Gibson !!!

That's right the Liesl Gibson of Oliver + S!!!!!

I am taking a sewing with knits workshop

featuring one of her new patterns

The Hopscotch skirt and knit top

The class is being held at a local fabric shop

Alewives Fabric

I am making the top into a dress with faux sleeves

K-Bug picked out this fabric

I can not wait to finish it

and

see her wearing it!!

I hope you all have a great day too!!

Trisha

Sew and Tell-Black Apple Dolls

I am probably one of the few people left who had not made a Black Apple Doll.  I  found the pattern here awhile ago and it has been on my to-do list from that point.  Since I had decided to make more Christmas gifts this year I decided this was the perfect time to make them.  So without further ado let me introduce you to the newest members of our family. 

 

I must say when I first printed out the pattern I was a little concern. It is mostly illustrations.  But after sitting down and making my first one.  I released that my concern was foolish.  The pattern is great! 

I will be making more of these beauties.  In fact I am thinking about making one for my first drop for The Toy Society.  That is if the girls will give her up.

I will be linking up to amylouwhos linky party.  So come on over and say hi!

Trisha

What we have been up to..

Just a quick note to let everyone know that we are OK. 

 Sheri is getting ready for her first craft fair.  I have been busy sewing.  I am trying to make a lot of our Christmas gifts this year.  The to-do list is getting shorter each day! 

Plus the girls and I have been doing a lot of our own crafting.  For those of you who like to craft with little ones (who still attempt to eat everything) here is what we have been making.   We made homemade play dough.  I used my mom's recipe 100% edible although it has a really yucky taste.

We also made homemade finger paint.  I used this recipe because I could not find my cornstarch. 

One other thing we did was make edible jewelry.  I got the idea from this book.  We used cereal, gummies and anything else that we could eat that had a hole in the middle.

I know it's not jewelry but I really like him

Trisha

PS  Thanks you all for the great comments on the bag I made for my swap.  They sure made my day :)